


Widogast's Spells

by Amrynth



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: AU August, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Caleb can have two purple boyfriends if he wants to, First he has to process that someone likes him, M/M, Rivals, This is as close to a love triangle as it gets, two someones
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:26:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26022628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amrynth/pseuds/Amrynth
Summary: Caleb has had to enter into a contract with his demon familiar Mollymauk, in order to keep up with a rival witch shop run by Essek Thelyss.
Relationships: Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast, Mollymauk Tealeaf/Caleb Widogast
Comments: 20
Kudos: 140





	Widogast's Spells

**Author's Note:**

> Day 20 of AU August was a witch AU. Making Caleb a witch isn't very alternate but I liked the concept and had a lot of fun doing world building as I worked on this.

From the outside, the shop windows glowed in the early evening so that passers by could see his wares. Potion bottles filled with brightly colored liquid, rolls of old parchment meant to look like spells, a few animal skulls and some well placed crystals completed the look, letting people who passed know this was a witch’s shop. Caleb even had a cushion for Frumpkin in the window, so that his cat could enjoy the afternoon sun when it came in through the window. The final touch was the sign over the door with an iron broom hanging from it. Widogast’s Spells was written on the sign and a simple, and blue flame floated above the end of the sign. Better than any lantern, the flame would let commoners know this was a witch’s shop. 

When Caleb had opened his store, it had been unique in most of the region. Witches didn’t settle often and when they did it was rarely in a town like this. 

It had been unique. Until a second supply store had opened only a few blocks away. Caleb leaned against the door, as he had developed a habit of doing at night when he was locking the front door, looking up the hill to where there was a view overlooking the sea. There he could see a faint blue light of the second witch glowing. 

“Daydreamin’?” 

Caleb jumped at the sound of another voice, his hand slipping on the lock but slamming it home anyway. 

“Wh- no. I- what?” he twisted toward the other voice, startled out of thinking about the second witch’s shop.

Mollymauk leaned in the doorway to the back room, arms folded across his chest. At this point in the night, half the lanterns were extinguished to save oil and, in the semi-dark, his red eyes glowed like twin embers. Heavily adorned horns wound around the side of his head, purple skin and those glowing eyes easily identified him for what he was; Caleb’s familiar. He still wasn’t used to the demon being here all the time, their long-term contract was new.

“I said,” Molly spoke slowly this time, enunciating his words until they were almost comical in his accent. “Are you daydreaming?”

“Not precisely, no. I was just thinking about the Emporium,” Caleb ran a hand through his hair as he turned away from the front of the door and started to straighten up the shelves in the store. 

Predictably, Mollymauk bristled like the cat at the mention of the other witch shop in town. “Why did he have to come here anyway? This was our turf and this town doesn’t need another witch. Especially a sub-par one.”

“Essek is very talented,” Caleb gently corrected, bending to pick up Frumpkin from where he wound around his ankles. “I believe the word is prodigy.”

“Well I believe the word is prodigal and he can take all that talent home anytime,” Molly nudged a book back into place with his tail. 

The Shadowhand was very talented and that was the reason that Caleb had finally formed a long contract with his demon. It was only in the last week that Mollymauk had come to live with him all the time, after years of short term summoning work together. He’d told himself it would be okay, that he could handle having the handsome demon around all the time. But he was still surprised by his presence. And Caleb was surprised to find that having him around all the time had yet to dull his awareness of how beautiful he was. Or how much Mollymauk wanted to be the center of his attention even when they weren’t working together. 

“So what are we doing tonight, boss?” Mollymauk asked. “You’re low on potion base but I can do that on my own tomorrow if you want.”

“Oh. That is a good question. I was thinking I would work on that spell tonight, see if I could work out the last few equations to balance it. Less explosion except where I want it to explode, ja?” This question was directed to Frumpkin rather than anyone who would actually understand him. Caleb had his fingers curled into the soft fur beneath the cat’s chin, fingernails lightly raking the skin beneath while Frumpkin purred his contentment. 

“Oh.” Mollymauk watched him and the cat, layers in the one word that Caleb had to choose not to sort out. 

“Would you prefer to help with something?” Caleb asked. He’d been under the assumption that Molly, like Frumpkin, would prefer to have the night off rather than be tasked with any real work. But as soon as he asked the question, Mollymauk’s face lit up instantly. 

“We could distill the dittany,” Mollymauk said, long delicate fingers counting off the options. “You have that order for the tasty powder-”

“Dust of Deliciousness,” Caleb quietly corrected. Being a witch involved precision and he liked precise definitions. 

“That’s what I said. There’s an order of ring blanks to pick up and I could come with you. Potion base. And I was sorting your mail and there’s this desperate aunt north of town who wants a dozen of love potions.” he continued, unperturbed by the correction. 

“What if we started with dinner?” Caleb asked, double checking the front door before heading to the doorway Mollymauk had initially been leaning in. 

“Are you cooking tonight?” The Demon stepped out of the way, walking companionably in Caleb’s wake as they moved from the shop. 

The main floor of Widogast’s Spells was the storefront and storage room, his lab was downstairs, and the second floor was living quarters. Caleb couldn’t help but glance at Molly when they passed close to one another. He smelled like spice whenever Caleb got too close and he had yet to find the courage to ask about all the layers of scars the demon bore. It was a very personal question and Caleb bore his own scars he wasn’t sure he would ever be ready to talk about. 

“Ja. What would you like?” 

Mollymauk pulled a face. “Maybe we should make the tasty powder first.” 

-

Caleb looked up from his book when Mollymauk barreled into the study like something was on fire. He didn’t always leave his familiar to watch the front of the store but he really did want to work out the last few details of the spell he was working on. His pen was poised over his notebook and he shifted to drop it back into the pot of ink to save his notes from any drips. 

“What is it? Are you okay?” Their bond didn’t have a strong link of their emotions, but Caleb could feel irritation radiating off of Mollymauk rather than any actual alarm. 

The demon blinked at him, tail flicking his irritation as sure as Frumpkin’s would have if Caleb had suggested a bath. “I’m taking a break and you have a customer.”

He considered this, but saw no reason to argue. Caleb had read about familiar arrangements; he’d drawn their contract per tradition, and knew he could have compelled Mollymauk back to work. But he knew what it was to have power exerted to make him do something he otherwise would not choose. And that wasn’t the sort of witch that Caleb wanted to be. 

“Alright.” He stepped down from his work stool and scattered sand across his work to dry the ink while he was still downstairs. Caleb was still thinking about how Mollymauk frequently reminded him of Frumpkin in his behavior when he stepped by, it just seemed natural to reach up and run two fingers along Mollymauk’s horn when he addressed him. “Are you going to wait here?” 

His tongue felt dry in his mouth as he finished the question. Mollymauk had frozen when Caleb touched him, glowing eyes hard to tell just where he was looking. Caleb hadn’t been thinking when he’d reached up, but this close and the intimacy of the simple touch made him very aware that Molly was most definitely not a cat. Before Mollymauk had a chance to answer though, Caleb had retracted his hand and nearly fled down to the store level of the building. He would have to apologize, probably he had broken some manner of protocol. But it was hard to focus on that when all he could think about was just how warm Mollymauk had been against his skin.

Caleb’s attention was still upstairs when he stepped into the shop, so he wasn’t entirely prepared for the customer waiting for him. The Shadowhand himself, Essek Thelyss, was looking at the spines of the books Caleb had on display. Caleb would have known the head of white hair pushed to one side, the dark mantle and how he floated a few inches off the ground even while shopping at a distance and here was Essek in Widogast’s Spells. Perhaps he was floating because he was shopping in his rival’s store. Did Esesk think they were rivals? Was Caleb pathetic for thinking they might be?

“Shadowhand. What do I owe the pleasure to?” Caleb asked. 

Essek turned to look at him with a polite smile, polished and everything a powerful witch was supposed to be. Caleb felt suddenly aware of the ink stains on his fingers and the ragged edge of his sleeves when in direct comparison to Essek. 

“Oh yes. I was hoping that you had some potion base that I could buy,” Essek said, floating to the counter across from Caleb.

“Why? Can’t make your own?” Mollymauk asked, only a few steps behind Caleb.

Caleb managed not to jump, unaware until he spoke that Molly had followed him down. Wasn’t he taking a break? 

Essek’s smile changed. Or was it his eyes, pale purple against the dusky dark grey-purple of his skin. There had been something warm when it had just been Caleb that hardened when Mollymauk spoke behind him. 

“It’s more cost efficient to buy from someone who can produce more base with the assistance of their familiar. I have enough on my hands keeping up with the orders I have coming in,” Essek replied. His eyes were on Mollymauk, words sharp enough to make the unwary bleed. “I don’t always have time to do something as low end as potion base.” 

“Ah.” Caleb spoke up, swallowing a lump in his throat. 

Essek’s expression froze and his eyes moved from Molly to Caleb. “I- Caleb um.”

“Molly, be a dear and get a case of potion base from the workshop,” Caleb asked, turning to address Molly.

His demon frowned, first at him and then more fiercely at Essek behind him. 

“Please.” 

Before he left, Mollymauk growled soft and low in his throat. He didn’t argue though, turning on his heel to leave the two of them alone. Caleb could feel the annoyance coming off him in waves, and faintly smiled at his retreating back. Beneath the irritation was a protective note that Caleb would have to tease apart from the rest of it some other time.

“Caleb I- I didn’t mean to,” Essek said, then took a deep breath while Caleb turned around to face him. “I’m sorry.” 

“Apology accepted,” Caleb said. Whatever embarrassment he felt, being reminded he was low end and not as busy as Essek, he pushed away for now. “My familiar has a bit of a mouth on him and can make even the most polite man say things he didn’t expect to.”

Essek breathed a laugh. “You’re soft on him.” 

Caleb smiled, warming up slightly. There were witches who would have been trying to correct him in that statement, warning him to get better control over his demon. But Essek said it lightly, the warmth coming back into his eyes. 

“Not everyone requires a firm touch,” Caleb answered, pushing his hair back from his face. “You, I think, perhaps respond better to being put in your place.” 

This made Essek laugh properly, deep and warm and surprising Caleb with how genuine it sounded. “Would you believe I let myself run out of potion base because I thought it might give me an excuse to come and see you?”

“Are you lonely in your shop on the hill, Mister Thelyss?” Caleb asked, avoiding Essek’s question because it was too dangerous. The way the drow was smiling at him made Caleb very aware of just how handsome he was. And now that he was aware of it, it was very hard to think about anything else. 

“Here.” The requested crate of potion thumped down onto the counter beside Caleb and startled him out of his reverie. Mollymauk wasn’t grinning, but he looked smug, content as the cat in the cream, on interrupting them. 

“I would not want to keep you, busy as you are,” Caleb waved the potions toward Essek. “I will run the bill up to you later this week. I don’t usually sell my potion base so I will have to work out how I ought to get its value from you.”

Essek opened his mouth to object, he probably had a pocket full of gold he would have been happy to give him. But the idea of Caleb coming to see him, rather than the other way around, sank in gradually. “Alright. I’ll see you then. If your familiar can manage to run your counter briefly that is.”

Mollymauk huffed at him, just shy of actually hissing. 

“Until then, Mister Thelyss,” Caleb said. 

The drow gave him a look as he left, arms full of the crate, and then he was gone. 

“Why did he have to open a shop here?” Molly asked, sulking now that Essek was gone and there was no reason to be angry. 

“Look at it this way, Mollymauk,” Caleb said, pulling out a scrap of paper to start figuring out how much in materials and time that amount of potion base had cost. “Without Essek opening his store, I would not have reason for a long contract with you, ja? So perhaps it is not all bad things that he has come here.” 

Molly opened his mouth as though to object, his tail lashing once before his whole self relaxed. “Fine. He has one use.”


End file.
